By BY BRUCE HIXON – sports editor
They experienced something they do not get to see in Alabama, the mercy rule. There was something else the T.R. Miller Tigers got to rarely experience with Friday's trip to Northview, Fla., an easy victory.
The Tigers shot 61 percent from the field, roared to a 24-point halftime lead and easily demolished the Chiefs 79-37.
The Tigers usually got second chances on what few shots they did miss. T.R. Miller got offensive rebounds on 16 of its 23 missed field goal attempts.
Probably the biggest contributions came from junior Jordan Knight, who threw in a game-high 26-points. Senior Wade Jackson threw in 17 and junior Terry Hetherington came off the bench and scored another 17.
The Tigers erased a 6-4 Northview lead midway through the first quarter with a 12-0 run and never trailed again. Three-point plays by Brandon Andrews and Hetherington sparked the run.
T.R. Miller, which led 18-11 at the end of the first quarter, put its lead in double digits for the remainder of the game with 6:30 left in the first half when Knight scored off an offensive rebound to make it 24-13.
Knight's bucket was part of a 15-4 run that also included a dunk by Jackson, fastbreak buckets by Knight and Hetherington and an offensive rebound bucket by Hetherington that stretched the lead to 37-17.
Two more field goals by Knight, who had 14 first half points, and one each by Jackson and Hetherington enabled the Tigers to close out the half on an 8-0 run and a 45-21 lead.
T.R. Miller's lead reached 30 points when a bucket by Knight with just over four minutes left in the third quarter made it 55-25. A steal and layup by Hetherington with 2:34 left in the quarter made it 63-27 and kicked in Florida's mercy rule that kept the clock running the rest of the game.
While the running clock slowed T.R. Miller's growing lead, it did not stop it. It surpassed 40 points when an offensive rebound bucket by Jackson with 4:24 left made it 73-32. It reached a game-high bulge moments later when a field goal by Hetherington made it 77-34.
T.R. Miller's junior varsity also kicked off its season on a winning note, as it downed Northview 41-33.
Derrick Riley led the Tigers with 13 points, while Corey Redfern chipped in eight.
T.R. Miller makes its home debut Tuesday when it entertains UMS-Wright. Play starts with the junior varsity game at 4:30 p.m. It will be the first of nine straight home dates for the Tigers.
At Northview
T.R. Miller 18 27 20 14 - 79
Northview 11 10 9 7 - 37
T.R. MILLER (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Knight 12-0-2-26; Jackson 7-0-3-17; Hetherington 8-0-1-17; Payne 3-0-0-6; Andrews 2-0-1-5; Stallworth 2-0-0-4; Curry 1-0-0-2; Cunningham 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 36-0-7-79)
NORTHVIEW (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Myles 3-2-4-16; Donaldson 2-0-2-6; Thomas 2-0-2-6; Longmire 2-0-0-4; Wright 1-0-1-3; Lowery 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 11-2-9-37)
Junior varsity
T.R. Miller 9 10 9 13 - 41
Northview 7 13 5 8 - 33
T.R. MILLER (2FG3FG-FT-TP) Riley 5-0-3-13; Redfern 3-0-2-8; M. Lane 2-1-0-7; Shufford 2-0-0-4; Powell 2-0-0-4; T. Lane 0-1-0-3; McCorvey 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 15-3-2-41)
NORTHVIEW (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Redmond 4-0-1-9; Killam 4-0-0-8; Sanders 2-0-1-5; Bellamy 1-1-0-5; Hunter 2-0-0-4; Jackson 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 14-1-2-33)